Double trouble as Olympics gets underway

Olympic organisers faced embarrassment on two fronts as London 2012 got under way. A major flag blunder angered North Korea’s women footballers in Glasgow, while hundreds of spectators with tickets for diving at the Aquatics Centre were warned to expect an obscured view.

Olympic organisers faced embarrassment on two fronts as London 2012 got under way.

A major flag blunder angered North Korea’s women footballers in Glasgow, while hundreds of spectators with tickets for diving at the Aquatics Centre were warned to expect an obscured view.

LOCOG, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, were forced to apologise to the North Korean footballers at Hampden Park who saw their faces shown on big screens alongside South Korean flags.

It was a mistake that prompted North Korea to stage a protest, causing the kick-off against Colombia to be delayed by one hour and five minutes.

A statement from LOCOG said: “Ahead of the women’s football match at Hampden Park, the South Korean flag was shown on a big screen video package instead of the North Korean flag.

“Clearly this is a mistake, we will apologise to the team and the national Olympic committee and steps will be taken to ensure this does not happen again.”

The Group G match eventually began at 8.50pm.

The error was particularly unfortunate, given that South Korea and North Korea exist as neighbours but have a far from harmonious relationship.

Meanwhile, at the Olympic Park, the hub of the Games, it emerged that LOCOG would be offering refunds to up to 4,800 people after admitting some spectators would struggle to see all the action in the 10-metre diving platform events, which feature Britain’s Tom Daley.